Research on Courtship Behavior and Mechanism of the Chinese Alligator(Alligator Sinensis)

【摘要】：The courtship and mate behaviors used by Chinese alligator(Alligator sinensis)was studied at Gaojingmiao Breeding Farm,Langxi Country,Anhui,China from May to August.Date collected showed that the duration of mounting and mating lasted 34 days from 19,May to 21, June;the peak of these behaviors were took placed between 05:30-08:00 and 17:30-20:30.The basic patterns of courtship behavior were defined as bellowing to attempt congregation,courting by snout touching,attracting mates by swimming,blowing bubbles,courting by threaten and head-slapping.However,the courtship behaviors mentioned above were not always independent of one another,they often occurred simultaneously or sequentially.We found the significant differences among the frequencies and validities of these behaviors and courting by snout touching is the major way.When the lek was formed by bellowing or mounting,the male taked the initative in courtship and females had their own chioces to mate male(s).The standard of female choice were courting by snout touching and individual characters displayed by males.The whole process was consisted of approaching,courtship,mounting,surfacing,diving and mating and the duration of mounting and mating is from 1.87 to 30.25mins.Mounting with homosexual and multiple mating were also found,the frequence of the former is 0.73 and the later for every male was 18.8 times and 4.7 times for female respectively.Meanwhile the mating system is promiscuity.The function of bellowing is congregation and did not result in mounting,so it was an indirect pattern of courtship behavior.